A friend and reader sent me an article that weighed the modern church of today against the early church and he asked me to comment on it. The writer of this article had built his theory on four basic tenants: How we view other Christians, How to spend the churches money, Supporting military operations, Bible study
How we view other Christians
The writer viewed this subject as a major contrast indicating that the modern church considers the nuclear family consisting only of our relatives to be our family. He stated that the early church treated every Christian who showed up as family. Hmmm I have been in more than one church that treats all Christians as families and have been treated like a pariah at others. The early church was never perfect and had a tremendous amount of prejudice especially towards Gentiles who came to believe. Like the modern church some were better at meeting the lofty expectations of a perfect God than others. Paul writes of many churches that demonstrated their love of other Christians as ordained by God. I imagine if he visited some churches today he would feel likewise and would be just as angry at those in the modern church who failed the love test as he was at early churches who failed in those days.
How Churches spend their money
The writer in my view essentially made a case which he states is biblical for giving most of the church’s money to the poor and tried to make it appear as his view was entirely scriptural. He lamented that the modern church doesn’t spend enough on the poor and too much on salaries and lavish buildings. While that might be true in many if not most cases, a great deal IS in the Bible about the necessity of paying salaries for ministers and others who work fulltime in the ministry. Some leadership in the modern church go way overboard and give themselves lavish salaries private jets and mansions which I condemn with every ounce of my fiber, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t pay those ministers who are not doing that. If they work fulltime for Christ they must eat and so must their families and need money to do so just like we need money to take care of our families.
As for buildings one also need look at the tabernacle developed under the exacting specifications given by God under Moses leadership. It was a work of art. A place of worship should be appropriate for God recognizing that not all temples were like the one built in Jerusalem and in fact there is nothing wrong with meeting in homes like the early church did when being persecuted. The temple built by Solomon and conceived by David can be viewed as an example that those beautiful temples have their place too.
I certainly believe in helping the poor but take it from me after founding the Jesus Alliance with the goal of being part of fulfilling the Great Commission I learned that it takes money too, lots of money!!!! Giving away Bibles by the millions takes money, traveling to foreign countries and building churches takes money. Jesus emphasized that we should go into every nation and preach the Word. This was placed at the end of every Gospel which to me means it is IMPORTANT. It does take funding to conduct soul saving ministry. I do believe that too many pastors spend money on things not germane to spreading the Gospel nor will they help the poor and that is a shame. I don’t think that we should throw out the baby with the bathwater because of a few bad actors though. Bottom line I disagree with allocating the money strictly to the poor. What does it matter if they gain every material thing in the world and are well fed if they lose their souls and go to hell. A balance must be found, but saving lost souls take precedence every time to my way of thinking..
Military Power
I find the most error in his analysis of military power in the article. We are told in the Bible (Nehemiah for example) to work with one hand and keep a sword in another. There are many passages about defending the home, cities, and the nation. I don’t believe God wants us to live under atheistic communist rule and if they are given an inch they will take a mile. Hitler proved that. Our military must remain strong, and we must be prepared to fight to keep our land free, especially free to worship. The writer seemed like a pacifist and we would be working as slave labor for China or imprisoned in a gulag in Russia if we adhered to his theories.
Bible Study
Bible study is vital to everyone, and I agree with what the writer said in that regard. The Bible clearly tells us that faith is derived from hearing the word of God. We can read it, listen to a minister or those attending small group settings, or read the Bible and commentary on the internet, but we must hear the word of God to develop strong faith. Many churches deviate from Scripture and God predicted this in the Bible. I say read it independently and discern for yourself if the church you are in is preaching the Gospel or some sort of human WOKE logic based on culture.
Those are my takeaways. Overall, he made some valid points but unfortunately some glaring misrepresentations of what the Bible says about his subject matter. The bottom line for me is that I believe the early church to be not much different than the churches of today, mainly that there were both good and bad churches after the church was first established just like there are today. This is due mainly to being led by fleshly and sometimes narcissistic ministers intent on glorifying themselves instead of God and the influence of Satan..
There is zero doubt that Satan is trying to infiltrate the church just like he did when it first began. He used idolatry, sex, money, power, jealousy, and a myriad of things in the early church to destroy it just like he is doing today with perhaps even more urgency because he knows his days are surely numbered.
Stay close to the Bible. I believe in every word written in the Bible, albeit much of it I do not understand even after 53 years of study. To read the article mentioned today follow this link: Click Here. I would be interested in your thoughts.
Ephesians 5:6
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.